Species Myrmarachne formicaria

See the World Spider Catalog.

formica - Latin for an ant (1)

There are 2 Nearctic species. This non-native species has the best known distribution of the two.

Body length ~ 6 mm (Bradley et al. 2006)

It is the only ant-like North American jumping spider in which the male chelicerae project forward more than 50% of the carapace length, and in which the female palpal tarsus is dorsoventrally flattened and bent downward distally. (Bradley et al. 2006)

Epigynum:

OH, PA, NY, ON so far (BG data to June 2019); native to Eurasia

Recently introduced from Europe. (2)

The species appears to be fairly common and is active during the warm months of the year in open areas as well as in buildings. It is sometimes associated with the local ants of the genus Formica. (Bradley et al. 2006)

The first specimen records of M. formicaria from North America have all been from Ohio, USA: from Warren, Trumble County on 16 August 2001; the J.H. Barrow Field Station, Portage County on 15 September 2002; and at a residence near Peninsula, Summit County. Additional individuals have been observed by the third author in and around the J.H. Barrow Field Station and the Peninsula residence during the summers of 2003 and 2004. (Bradley et al. 2006)

First NY record:

Amherst, Erie County, New York (near Buffalo)

August 15, 2011

Myrmarachne formicaria (De Geer)

Det. G. B. Edwards, 2011

Somewhat similar to one other ant-like salticid that can be found in Ohio, Sarinda hentzi (Banks). (Bradley et al. 2006)

Bradley, R.A., Cutler, B. and Hodge, M. 2006. The first records of Myrmarachne formicaria (Araneae, Salticidae) in the Americas. Journal of Arachnology 34: 483–484.